Learn Spanish whilst working as an au-pair
Here at Closeteachers, we believe that, without a doubt, one of the quickest and best ways of achieving fluency in a language is visiting the country where it is spoken, even if the visit be only a short one.
A situation of total immersion is a situation of continual, direct contact with the target language, in which the learner must utilize the language to communicate with locals, the benefits of which cannot be overstated.
A very economical method of achieving cultural immersion, which also guarantees an authentic environment in which to practice, is to work as an au-pair in the chosen country.
The job of an au-pair consists of looking after the children of a host family, in return for accommodation, maintenance and some pocket money. Working hours and the specific tasks of the au pair vary from family to family, but au-pair work will certainly offer a chance to experience life with natives and to get up close and personal with a foreign lifestyle.
Students who choose to become au pairs frequently combine their work with a Spanish language course, perhaps to improve their Spanish before starting work, or simply to speed up the process of acquiring fluency. In any case, however, simply spending time in the country with a native family will be an incredible experience; a student learns Spanish whilst enjoying the experience of getting up close and personal with real local culture.
